Manufacture of mouthpiece cigarettes



June 9, 1964 D. w. MOLINS ET AL MANUFACTURE OF MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1" Filed July 12. 1957 //VVE/V7'O/5 DESMOND W. MOLINS TOM ROWLANDS Bra/am M ATTOE/VEYS June 1964 D. w. MOLINS ETAL 3,136,320

MANUFACTURE OF MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12. 1957 w s 0 N Wu w. mm N w M w MR M aw DT R mm BY M MMPMIEW Arm/Max? June 1964 D. w. MOLINS ETAL MANUFACTURE OF MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Filed July 12. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 DESMOND W. MOLINS TOM ROWLANDS 3y y ,3 4 Jim ATTOR/VEK? June 1954 D. w. MOLINS ETA]. 3,

MANUFACTURE OF MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Filed July 12. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 DESMOND W. MOLINS TOM ROWLANDS BY Mm M m I Arman 5 United States Patent MANUFACTURE OF MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Desmond Walter Molins and Tom Rowlands, London,

England, assignors to Moiins Machine Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed July 12, 1957, Ser. No. 671,607 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 16, 1956 31 Claims. (Cl. 131-9 4) This invention concerns improvements in or relating to the manufacture of mouthpiece cigarettes by uniting cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions by means of encircling uniting bands. A mouthpiece portion may consist of a length of filtering material, or a hollow tube, or a length of any other material suitable for forming the mouthpiece portion of a cigarette, or any combination of the foregoing. For convenience such mouthpiece portions will be referred to as stubs. The expression double-length stu shall be understood as meaning a stub which is double the length required in an individual mouthpiece cigarette.

The expression mouthpiece cigarette where used herein shall be understood as meaning a cigarette consisting of a cigarette length, or in other words a length of wrapped cigarette rod, with a stub at one end in endwise abutment, the cigarette length and stub being united and held together by an encircling uniting band.

The present invention is concerned with apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, in which groups, each consisting of at least one cigarette length and a stub arranged end to end, are united by uniting bands while rolling sideways through a passage which comprises opposed surfaces which grip the groups between them and move relatively to one another so as to cause the groups to roll, and the invention provides means'for controlling the axial alignment of the component parts of a group while the latter is being moved sideways into the passage.

The invention is also concerned with the provision of ticles, are fed endwise and are deflected and pushed sideways, for example into such a passage, and provides im-' proved means for so deflecting them.

The invention also provides improved means for subdividing cylindrical articles, such for example as the stub portions of united groups each consisting of two cigarette The invention is also concerned with apparatus in which such groups, or other rod-like articles or groups of arlengths and an intermediate double-length stub arranged end to end.

The invention is also concerned with the combination of any two or more of the foregoing five general features outlined above as well as with the combination of the details more fully described later herein and claimed in the appended claims.

Apparatus according to the invention will now' be described by way of example with reference to the accomveyor band 1 is arranged to receive cigarette lengths as they issue from the cut-0E mechanism (not shown) of a 7 of the group by the pusher.

Patented June 9, 1964 continuous rod cigarette-making machine. The band 1 is arranged to run a little faster than the continuous rod, so that the cigarette lengths are accelerated and spaced apart endwise. A pair of endless spring bands 2 co-operate with the band 1 to grip the cigarette lengths.

A fixed plate 3 is arranged to support cigarette lengths as they leave the band 1. A wheel 4, which is best seen in FIGURE 2, comprises two spaced rubber discs 5, is mounted above the plate 3 and arranged to rotate in the direction shown by the arrow, FIGURE 1, and is positioned to engage and feed forward cigarette lengths on the plate. Beyond the plate is a further wheel 6 whose rim is provided with a suitable friction surface, and immediately above the wheel 6 is a roller 7 about which passes an endless band 8 which also passes over another roller 9. The rollers 7 and 9 rotate as shown by the arrows in FIGURE 1 and the lower run of the band 8 therefore travels in the direction of endwise feed of the cigarette lengths.

Below the band 8 is a fixed plate 10 positioned to support cigarette lengths as they leave theplate 3 and wheel 6. The lower run of the band 8 is spaced a suitable distance above the plate 10 to engage cigarette lengths on the plate and exert a gentle frictional forward drive on the cigarette lengths. Guide members, not shown, are positioned above the lower run of the band to maintain its spacing from the plate.

The band 8 is made of, or faced with, a suitably soft and yielding material to enable it to effect a gentle brushing action on the cigarette lengths. For example it may be made of soft sponge rubber or other similar spongy material. v

' Alongside the path of the cigarette lengths as they move from the band 1 on to the plate 3 is a rotatable disc 11, best seen in FIGURE 2, which acts to feed double-length stubs into spaces between the cigarette lengths. The disc, which rotates in the direction shown by the arrow, has two pushers 12, each of which in turn pushes a stub along a curved guide-way 13, FIGURE 2, on to the band 1. The disposition and timing of the pushers is such that a stub is inserted into the space behind every second cigarette length. Any suitable means may be' used to supply the stubs and feed them into the range of action of the pushers. wise towards the guideway 13 and about to be engaged from behind by a pusher 12.

is mounted a pair of crank discs 16 which carry'a recipro eating pusher 17. The pusher has a straight flat operative face which engages cigarette lengths and stubs to push them sideways and then to withdraw. The crank discs rotate in the direction shown by the arrows, FIG- URE 2, thus carrying the pusher in a rotary path. The pusher, on a forward, pushing stroke, extends between the plate 10 and the lower run of the band 8.

The pusher 17 has an extension 18 on which is mounted a movable stop member 19 arranged to intercept the leading component of a group consisting of two cigarette lengths and an intermediate stub, to arrest its forward movement either during or prior to the sideways transfer The stop member 19 is mounted on one end of a bell-crank lever 20 pivoted at 21 on the extension 18. A spring 22 urges 'the lever 20 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2, and 2. lug 23 on the extension 18 limits the movement of I the lever in that direction. The lever 20 carries a roller 24 which is arranged to engage a fixed cam 25 at certain times. As the pusher and its extension 18 move in a rotary path, the roller 24 is periodically brought into engagement with the fixed cam 25 which is so shaped as to cause the lever 20 to be swung in a clockwise direction (FIG- URE 2) against the action of the spring 22.

In FIGURE 2 a stub 14 is shown moving endthe same motion as the pusher. Engagement of the cam by the roller 24, however, causes the stop member 19'to move in an arcuate path relatively to the pusher lengthwise of the latter, to an extent such that its forward component of movement is eliminated or substantially so. This is illustrated in FIGURE 2 where the stop member 19, lever 20, androller 24 are shown in dot and dash lines in the position they occupy as the roller nears the end of its engagement with the cam 25, as well as in full lines in their position at the beginning of such engagement. Further movement of the pusher carries the roller 24 past the cam and the lever 20 is then pulled by the spring 22 back to its original position against the lug 23.

By means of this arrangement the stop member 19 stops the forward movement of a cigarette length which it engages while that cigarette length is being pushed sideways. As already explained, the pusher 17 extends beneath the band 8, which is arranged to drive cigarette lengths and stubs forwardly over the plate 10. Thus since the cigarette length engaged'by the stop member is the leading component of a group consisting of two cigarette lengths with a stub between them, these components will be forced intoendwise abutment while they are being pushed sideways, or if they are already in abutment, will be firmly held in abutment during their sideways movements.

A suction drum 26, FIGURE 3, is located beneath and alongside the plate 10, and rotates in the direction shown I by the arrow in FIGURE 3. Feed rollers 27 feed forwardly a continuous web 28 of material, such as cork tipping material, which passes over an adhesive-applying roller 29 and on to the surface of the drum 26. The rollers 27 feed the web at a controlled speed a little slower than the surface speed of the drum 26, which therefore slips beneath the web. A rotary cutting device having knives 30 cuts the web at intervals, and the portions cut off are carried away by the drum at the faster speed and are thus spaced apart. These portions are to form uniting bands.

A stationary arcuate member 31, which is heated inany suitable way, is mounted above the drum and extends very nearly to the edge of the band 8. The member 31 is arranged at such a distance from the drum that cigarette lengths and stubs inserted between them will be gripped, the opposed surfaces of the drum 26 and member 31 thus forming a passageinto which groups of cigarette lengths and stubs are to be pushed by the reciprocating pusher 17. Beyond'the suction drum is a further drum 32, arranged to rotate as shown by the arrow, FIGURE 3, and provided with peripheral flutes 33. The drum 32 is slotted to accommodate a rotary disc knife 34. Alternatively the drum 32 may comprise a number of fluted-discs spaced apart side by side.

A conveyor 35 is provided beyond the drum 32 and a,

guide member 36 extends from within the drum 32 to a position above the conveyor.

The operation of theapparatus so far described is as follows.

Cigarette lengths cut from the continuous rod produced rette. Thus each group-contains the components from which two mouthpiece cigarettes can be made, and this is to be done by wrapping a uniting band around the stub and the end portions of the cigarette lengths, and cutting midway through the stub. Before the component parts are thus united and subdivided, they must be brought into and held in close endwise abutment and axial alignment.

Endwise abutment is initially secured in the following a way. The bands 1 and 2, the pushers 12, the band 8,

and the periphery of the wheel 6 all move at the same speed. The wheel 4, however, is arranged to rotate at varying speeds so that its peripheral speed is alternately a little above and a little below the steady speed of the bands 1 and 2 and the other parts just mentioned. The means for varying the speed of the wheel may comprise a driving wormand a driven wormwheel, the worm being axially movable to and fro by a cam so as to cause alternate increases and decreases in the angular velocity of the wormwheel, by which the wheel 4 is driven. An example of such a device is disclosed in British patent specification No. 703,991.

A cigarette length is between the wheel 4 and the fixed plate 3 at the moment when a stub is inserted behind it. The stub continues to be driven forward by the pusher 12 at the steady speed, but the wheel 4 then slows and so retards the cigarette length, and the stub is accordingly pushed against its end. The cigarette length then passes from the wheel 4 to be gripped between the wheel 6 and the band 8. At this time the wheel 4 is accelerated so that the next cigarette length which it engages is accelerated and pushed up against the stub. After endwise abutment between the leading cigarette length, the stub, and the rear cigarette length is complete, the wheel 4 may slip over the rear cigarette length until the latter passes from beneath the wheel 4 and is gripped between the wheel 6 and the band 8. FIGURE 1 shows an abutted group in which the rear length is beneath the wheel 4.

The abutted group is then fed forwardly over the plate It) by the combined action of the wheel 6 and band 8 until it is supported wholly on the plate 10. At this moment it is engaged by thereciprocating pusher 17, which pushes it sideways across the plate and into the passage formed by the opposed surfaces of the drum 26 and member 31. The timing of the apparatus may be such that the leading cigarette length of the group strikes the stop member 19 before the group as a whole is engaged by the pusher; or the two things may occur simultaneously, oralternatively the pusher mayengage the group sideways before the leading length has reached the stop member 19. In any case, the stop member may be arranged (by suitable shaping'and location of the cam 25) to move as one with the pusher at the instant when it is first engaged by the leading cigarette length, and to continue'so to move for a short while thereafter, so as to cushion the shock of this first impact by moving with a forward component (considered in the direction of endwise feed of the group). Thereafter, however, the stop member 19 is constrained by the cam 25 to swing relatively to the pusher soas to move with the pusher but with a smaller forward component than the pusher, and reduce or prevent-further forward movement of the leading cigarette length while the group is being pushed sideways by the pusher 17.

During this action of the pusher the band 8 continues its gentle forward driving action on the cigarette lengths and stubs in the direction of the axis of the group so that V the component parts of the group are yieldingly urged forwardly towards the stop member 19 and abutment is maintained or completed during the sideways movement of the group. Also the gripping action of the band 8 and plate Til, both of which offer frictional resistance to sideways movement of the group, together with the sideways pushing action of the straight-surface pusher, axially aligns and maintains the axial alignment of the group during the Whole of its sideways movement towards the passage formed by the opposed surfaces of the drum 26 and member 31.

The pusher moves far enough sideways to push the group clear of the plate and band 8 and into the passage or space between the conveyor surface of the suction drum 26 and the arcuate member 31, between which the group is gripped. The band 8 extends as near as practicable to the member 31, while the plate 10, which supports the group, extends substantially to the moving surface of the drum 26 in the region of the entrance to the passage formed by the opposed surfaces of the drum 26 and member 31. Thus a group is continuously gripped and controlled first by the band 8 and plate 10, and then by the drum 26 and member 31 (both of which are stationary in the direction of endwise movement of the group), so that it has no opportunity of losing its alignment or the close abutment of its component parts.

The action of the reciprocating pusher is so timed in relation to the operation of the cutters 30 that each group is delivered on to the drum just ahead of an adhesive uniting band B. The stationary member 31 and the drum 26 move relatively to one another and thereby cause the groups to roll along the passage between the drum and member 31, and they therefore roll over the uniting bands which are thus wrapped about them.

The member 31 is heated so as to accelerate the drying of the adhesive on the uniting bands. It is movable so that it can be lifted away from the drum when required.

The united groups are transferred into successive flutes 33 in the drum 32, and are carried past the knife 34 which cuts midway throughthe double-length stubs, thus subdividing the groups into individual mouthpiece cigarettes. These are transferred, by the aid of the guide 36, on to the conveyor 35, which is the equivalent of the catcher band of an ordinary cigarette-making machine.

The arrangement described has the further advantage that it is possible to arrange the uniting means (i.e. the rlrum 26 and member 31) so as to be easily accessible, which is of considerable importance during the operation of the machine. This is made possible by the fact that the stubs are inserted between cigarette lengths while the latter are still being fed forwardly, which eliminates the need for stub-feeding apparatus directly above the uniting means.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an alternative construction in which the united groups are subdivided while they are still rolling on the drum 26. An arcuate member 131, somewhat longer than the member 31 (FIGURE 3) which it replaces, is centrally slotted to allow a rotating disc knife 134 to pass through it at right angles to a group rolling through the passage. The edge of the knife 134 is close to the surface of the drum 26 but not in contact with it. A conveyor band 135, corresponding to'the band in FIGURE 3, is arranged to receive subdivided cigarettes from a ramp 136 which guides them from the drum 26 on to the band.

The disc knife 134 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow, and it will be seen that its direction of rotation is opposite to the direction of rotation of the rolling moves past the knife, the knife enters the stub at con tinuously changing positions about the circumference of the stub, and since the knife extends into the path of a stub by a distance which, although less than the diameter, is more than half the diameter of the stub, or in other words extends beyond axis of rotation of the stub, the latter will be severed. v

FIGURES 5 and 6 show a modified construction of reciprocating pusher mechanism and also a modified arrangement of a presser member which corresponds to the stop member 19 shown in FIGURE 2. In addition, FIGURES 5 and 6 show a further presser member arranged to engage the rear end face of the rearmost cigarette length of a group (considered in the direction of endwise movement of the groups).

In this construction, the groups are conveyed into the range of action of the pusher by a conveyor band which may be the band 1 shown in FIGURES l to 3 and which may be supported by the plate 10 shown in those figures. As illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, the groups are carried near one edge of the band 1, so as to reduce the distance they have to be pushed across the band.

A straight pusher bar 58 is mounted on arms 73 and 74. An extension 75 of the arm 73 is pivoted on a crank disc 76 which is formed as a cam. The arm 74 is connected by a link 77 to a further crank disc 78 which is also formed as a cam.

The link 77 is pivoted on the disc 78 at a greater distance, namely 3.5 mm., further, from the centre of rotation of the disc than is the extension 75 from the centre of rotation of the disc 76, so that the crank disc 78 has a greater throw than has the crank disc 76.

Further, the pivot centre of the link 77 on the disc 78 is 6 in advance of that of the extension 75 on the disc 76, considered in the direction in which the discs rotate, as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 5.

A stop member or presser-member 65 is mounted on an arm 81 which is pivoted at 82 to one end of a lever 83 which in turn is pivoted about a fixed pivot at 84. The other end of the lever 83 carries a roller 85 which rides on the edge of the cam 76, being urged against the cam by a spring 86. The arm 81 is also connected by a link 81a to a fixed pivot 81b.

Rotation of the cam disc 76 in the direction shown by the arrow imparts rocking motion to the lever 83, and thus causes the arm 81 to swing in a parallel movement about the pivot centres 84 and 81b. The resulting movement of the presser member 65 is indicated in FIGURE 5 by a double-headed arrow, and the two extreme positions of the member 65 are shown in full line and in dot and dash line respectively. It will be seen that since the disc 76 functions both as a cam to impart movement to the presser-member 65, and as one of a pair of cranks 76 and 78 to impart reciprocatory movement to the pusher bar 58, the presser member 65 moves in timed relationship with the pusher 58. The cam disc 76 is so shaped as to cause the presser member 65 to move with the pusher (although not to the same extent) in a direction transverse tothe direction of endwise movement of a group G, and also, during a pushing stroke of the pusher, to have a relatively small component of movement in the said direction of endwise movement. Its movements are so related to those of the pusher, and to the feeding of the groups by the tape 1, that it is engaged by the leading end face of the leading cigarette portion of each group which is being moved sideways by the pusher.

A further presser member 66 is carried by and extends upwardly from an arm 66a which is pivoted at 87 and has an extension 88 carrying a roller 89 which is urged against the edge of thecam 78 by a spring 90.

Rotation of the cam disc 78 (which of course rotates in unison with the disc 76) imparts rocking motion to the arm 66a, and it will be seen that this is effected in timed relationship with the movements of the pusher. At the commencement of a pushing stroke of the pusher, the presser element 66 occupies the position shown in FIGURE 6. As the pusher approaches the end of its pushing stroke, the arm 66a, swings anticlockwise as viewed in FIGURES 5 and 6, and the member 66 reaches its extreme inward position (i.e. its furthest position to the left as viewed in FIGURES 5 and 6) just before the pusher bar 58 reaches the end of its pushing stroke. This extreme inward position of the member 66 is shown in dot and dash lines in FIGURE 5. The presser member then starts to move back (i.e. to the 2 right in FIGURES 5 and 6), and at the instant when the pusher is at the end of its pushing stroke, the presser member 66 has withdrawn slightly to the position shown in fullline in FIGURE 5.

Reference has been made above to the fact that the crank disc '78 has a greater throw than has the crank disc '76, and that the pivot centre of the link 77 on the disc 78 is 6 in advance of that of the extension 75 on the disc 76. i

It will thus be seen that the pusher bar 58 will not be given a purely parallel movemenhbut will at most times be tilted with respect to the band I, that is, with respect to the path of the endwise moving groups. However, by advancing the crank '78 (which controls the rear end of the pusher bar, considered in the direction of endwise movement of the groups) it is possible to arrange that during the short time that the pusher bar is in engagement with a group its movement is nearly enough parallel to give satisfactory results.

On a return stroke of the pusher bar, however, the rear end of the bar moves across the band 1, and thus moves clear of the path of an approaching endwisemoving group, more quickly than does the other end.

FIGURE 6 shows, in full line and in dot and dash line respectively, 'two positions occupied by the pusher bar 58 during a return stroke, and it will be seen that at the later of these two positions (i.e. that shown in dot and dash line) the rear end has moved further than the front end from the full line position.

This arrangement makes it possible to reduce the speed. of movement of the pusher bar (by reducing the throw of the cranks) and at the same time to use a pusher bar which is long enough to engage at least a substantial part of the whole length of a group, while avoiding the risk that the rear end of the pusher bar might foul an approaching endwise-moving group during a return stroke. It can be seen from FIGURE 6 that the rear end of the pusher bar 58, which has reached the dot and dash position, is well clear of the leading end of an approaching group G, which by that time has reached the position shown in dot and dash lines. Had the return movement of the bar been parallel there would have been considerable risk that the rear end of the bar would have intercepted this approaching group G.

If the throw of the cranks were greater, the speed of the pusher bar as a whole would be increased, and by.

this means the withdrawing pusher could be caused to In the arrangement shown, the pusher bar is parallel to the band 1 at the very end of its pushing stroke (as shown in FIGURE 5) and also at the moment when it first engages a group. In FIGURE 5 the angular positions of the crank discs 76 and 78 at the moment when the pusher first engages a group is diagrammatically indicated by the dot and dash line circles marked I. The further circles, marked II and III, shown on the discs represent successive angular positions while a group is being pushed sideways. pusher bar is not quite parallel, but its inclination from the parallel is very slight, and the angle of deviation of the pusher bar from parallelism with the band 1 during engagement of a group does not exceed 1, which is so small as to be negligible, and the pusher can for all practical purposes be considered to have a parallel move ment while pushing a group sideways.

The arrangement shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 and described above can be used in conjunction with the band 8 shown in FIGURES Ito 3, in which case the presser member 66 supplements the action of the band 8 in causing endwise abutment of the groups. Alternatively the band 8 may be omitted or replaced by any other suitable element to engage the groups frictionally during their At these latter positions the sideways movement. In any case the presser member 66 operates to press against and urge forwardly the rear end face of the rear cigarette length of a group, just before the group is pushed into the passage defined by the drum 26 and arcuate member 31. Thus each group is gripped at its opposite ends by the two opposed presser members 65 and 66 which exert endwise pressure on the group so as to bring its component parts into close end- Wise abutment just before the group enters between the opposed surfaces of the drum 26 and member 31 which grip the group securely between them.

By this means a very firm and positive endwise pressure can be exerted on a group so as to cause close, tight abutment of its component parts, just before it enters the grip of the opposed surfaces of the passage.

. Just before the delivery of a group into the passage, the presser member 66 moves away to the full line position shown inFIGURE 5. The member 65 remains in its full line position, FIGURE 5,- until after the group has moved into the passage.

It will be seen that the presser member 66 is yieldingly mounted and is resiliently urged by the spring 96 into 7 engagement with the end face of a cigarette length. Thus if any particular group should for any reason be a little longer than it should be, the presser member 66 can yield and thus avoid damaging the group.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes wherein a stub and at least one cigarette length arranged end to end and forming component parts of a group are united by an'encircling uniting band, said apparatus comprising a pair of opposed members having opposed surfaces defining between them a passage, pusher means to push a group sideways into said passage, the said opposed members being so spaced apart that the said opposed surfaces grip the group between them, and being arranged for movement relatively'to one another so as to cause the group to roll through the passage, means to feed a uniting band for application to the group so that the band is wrapped around the group while the latter is rolling, and a pair of opposed elements arranged to engage opposite cylindrical surfacesof the group while the latter is being pushed sideways by the said pusher means, so as to offer frictional resistance to sideways movement of the group, whereby'the group is maintained in axial alignment during said sideways movement.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said pusher means is so timed inrelation to the said means to feed a uniting band as to deliver a group into the passage ahead of its uniting band whereby the uniting band is applied to the group after the latter has begun its rolling motion.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said opposed elements extend up to the passage, whereby a group moving sideways is continuously gripped by engagement of said opposite cylindrical surfaces and thereby controlled first by the said opposed elements and then by the said opposed surfaces of the passage so that it has no opportunity of losing its alignment.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the said opposed elements is stationary.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising mean to move one ofthe said opposed elements. I

6. Apparatus as claimedin claim 5, wherein both the said opposed elements are stationary in the direction of sideways movement of the group.

I 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the said opposed elements comprises an endless band mov-' able in the direction of the axes of the groups.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the said endless band applies yielding pressure to a group in a direction lengthwise of the group such as to urge the component parts of the group endwise, and comprising 9 a member toward which said parts are urged by the band and which limits their endwise movement.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the said opposed elements is below and supports a group during its sideways movement towards the passage.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one of the said opposed elements which supports a group is stationary.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pusher means to push a group into the passage comprises a reciprocating pusher arranged to engage successive groups and push them sideways into the passage and then withdraw.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the groups are fed endwise in succession toward the reciprocating pusher, and wherein the reciprocating pusher is reciprocated by crank mechanism, and comprises a pair of rotating cranks and a pusher bar coupled to said cranks and arranged to move in a pushing stroke with a component of movement in a direction lengthwise of a group being pushed sideways, and wherein one end of the pusher bar, which end is nearer an approaching endwise moving group, moves in a return stroke clear of the path of said approaching group more quickly than the other end.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein one of said cranks has a greater throw than has the other crank, and is set in advance of said other crank, and wherein the said one end of the pusher bar is coupled to the said one crank. N p

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, whereon groups each having a leading and a rearmost componentare fed endwise in succession toward the said pusher means, and comprising means to arrest the endwise movement of the leading component of a group prior to completion of the sideways movement of the group, and means arranged yieldingly to urge forwardly the rearmost component at least of the group during the said sideways movement, whereby the components of the group and urged against each other in endwise abutment during the sideways movement of the group to the said opposed surfaces of the passage.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the said leading component has a leading end face, and wherein the means to arrest the endwise movement of the leading component of a group comprises a presser element to engage the leading end face of the leading component of the group.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the said rearmost component has a rear end face, and wherein the means arranged yieldingly to urge forwardly the rearmost component of the group comprises a presser element arranged to engage the rear end face of the rearmost component part of the group, the said presser element being resiliently mounted to exert endwise yielding pressure on the said rear end face so as to cause close abutment of the component parts of the group before the latter enters the passage.

17. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes wherein a stub and at least one cigarette length arranged end to end and forming component parts of a group are united by an encircling uniting band, said apparatus comprising a pair of opposed members having opposed surfaces defining between them a passage, delivery means to deliver successive groups sideways into said passage, the said opposed members being so spaced apart that the said surfaces grip the groups between them, and being arranged for movement relatively to one another so as to cause the groups to roll through the passage, and means to feed successive uniting bands into the passage for application to successive groups so that each band is wrapped around a group while the latter is rolling, wherein the said delivery means comprises a reciprocating pusher arranged to engage a group and to move toward the passage while pushing the group sideways until the group has entered passage and is gripped between said opposed-sur faces, and then to withdraw.

'18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, comprising means to convey successive groups each having a leading and a rearmost component endwise into the range ponent at least of the groupduring the said transfer,

whereby the components of the group are urged against each other in endwise abutment during the sideways transfer of the group to the said opposed surfaces.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the said stop means and the said pressing means comprise a pair of presser elements arranged for relative move 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, comprising means to move one of said presser elements with a group in the direction in which the group being pushed sideways.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the sa d means to move the said one presser element comprises means to impart to the element a component of movement in the direction of endwise movement of the groups.

22. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising means to move endwise successive groups each consisting of a stub and at least one cigarette length'arranged end to end and having a leading part and rear part, a pusher to deflect successive groups sideways, uniting meahs for uniting the component parts of a group, toward which uniting means the groups are moved bysaid pusher, a stop member to engage the leading part of a group and a presser-member movable to engage the rear 'part of the said group during sideways movement of the group, one of said members being arranged to move towards the other so as to exert endwise pressure on the group and thereby cause close endwise abutment of its component parts.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22, comprising means to impart to the pusher during a pushing stroke a component of movement in the direction of endwise movement of the groups, and means to move the said stop member with the pusher but to impart thereto a smaller component in the said direction so as to check the endwise movement of the group in a gradual manner.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 comprising opposed members having opposed surfaces forming part of the said means for uniting the component parts of the group, and wherein each group is pushed sideways into the grip of said surfaces, and wherein the said stop member and presser member continue to exert endwise pressure on a group until the latter is gripped by said opposed surfaces.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the said presser member is arranged to move into engagement with the said rear part of a group just before the group is gripped between the said opposed surfaces.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein one of the said members is yieldable in a direction away from a group.

27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the yield ablemember is spring-urged towards the group.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein the yieldable member is the said presser member.

29. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes wherein a stub and at least one cigarette length arranged end to end and forming component parts of a group are united by an encircling band, said apparatus comprising a fixed member and a moving member having surfaces opposed to each other and defining between them a passage having an entrance, pusher means to push a group sideways into'said passage, the said opposed surfaces being so spaced apart that they grip the group'between them and cause it to roll through the passage, means to feed a uniting band for-application to the group so that the band is wrapped around the group while the latter is rolling, and means including a fixed element extending substantially to the said moving member in the region of the said entrance to the passage, arranged to engage opposite cylindrical sides of the group while the latter is being pushedsideways by said pusher means, and thereby to offer frictional resistance to such sideways movement, whereby thegroup is maintained in axial alignment up to the entrance to the passage.

, 30. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes wherein a stub and at least one cigarette length arranged end to end and forming component parts of a group are united by an encircling band, said apparatuszcomprising a fixed member and a moving member having surfaces opposed to each other and defining between them a passage having an entrance, pusher means to push a group sideways into said passage, the said opposed surfaces being so spaced apart that they grip the group between them and cause it to roll through the passage, means to feed a uniting band for application to the group so that the band is wrapped around the group while the latter is rolling, a fixed element extending substantially to the said moving member in the region of the said entrance to the passage, and a further element opposed to the said fixed element, the two said elements being arranged to engage opposite cylindrical sides of a groupwhile the latter is being pushed sideways by said pusher means, so as to offer frictional resistance to such sideways move ment, whereby the group is maintained'in axial alignment up to the entrance to the passage.

31. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes wherein a stub and at least one cigarette length arranged end to end and forming component parts of a group are,

united by an encircling uniting band, said apparatus comprising a pair of opposed members having opposed surfaces defining between them a passage, delivery means to deliver successive groups sideways into said passage, the said opposed members being so spaced apart that the said surfaces grip the groups between them, and being arranged for movement relatively to one another so as to cause the groups to roll through the passage, means to apply a uniting band to a group while the latter is in the passage, a pair of presser members located outside the passage and arranged to engage opposite ends of a group which is movingsideways toward the passage,

means to effect relative movement of the said presser members toward each other while the latter are engaging the group, just before the group enters the passage, whereby the component parts of the group are closely abutted endwise just before the group is gripped between,

the said opposed surfaces of the passage, and a pair of opposed elements located outside the passage and arrangedto engage opposite cylindrical sides of the group while the latter is moving sideways toward the passage, so as to offer frictional resistanceto such sideways movement and thereby maintain the group in axial alignment, one of said opposed elements'being fixed and extending substantially to one of said opposed members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Italy Mar. 7, 

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES WHEREIN A STUB AND AT LEAST ONE CIGARETTE LENGTH ARRANGED END TO END AND FORMING COMPONENT PARTS OF A GROUP ARE UNITED BY AN ENCIRCLING UNITING BAND, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED MEMBERS HAVING OPPOSED SURFACES DEFINING BETWEEN THEM A PASSAGE, PUSHER MEANS TO PUSH A GROUP SIDEWAYS INTO SAID PASSAGE, THE SAID OPPOSED MEMBERS BEING SO SPACED APART THAT THE SAID OPPOSED SURFACES GRIP THE GROUP BETWEEN THEM, AND BEING ARRANGED FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVELY TO ONE ANOTHER SO AS TO CAUSE THE GROUP TO ROLL THROUGH THE PASSAGE, MEANS TO FEED A UNITING BAND FOR APPLICATION TO THE GROUP SO THAT THE BAND IS WRAPPED AROUND THE GROUP WHILE THE LATTER IS ROLLING, AND A PAIR OF OPPOSED ELEMENTS ARRANGED TO ENGAGE OPPOSITE CYLINDRICAL SURFACES OF THE GROUP WHILE THE LATTER IS BEING PUSHED SIDEWAYS BY THE SAID PUSHER MEANS, SO AS TO OFFER FRICTIONAL RESISTANCE TO SIDEWAYS MOVEMENT OF THE GROUP, WHEREBY THE GROUP IS MAINTAINED IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT DURING SAID SIDEWAYS MOVEMENT. 